I'll Be Waiting
by Sora no Kioku
Summary: AkuRoku. Roxas is the new kid in school; distant, quiet, and possibly nervous. He only has his cousin, Sora, to turn to. But when he meets a redhead senior named Axel, his while life changes, for better and for worse.
1. The New Kid

Again, this was already on DA. Just uploading it here, now.  


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The class was a complete disaster area, looking almost as if a tornado had come through. Paper airplanes flew across the room and gossip echoed out into the halls, despite the closed doors. When it seemed that it couldn't get any worse, the teacher walked in. Still, the class didn't quiet down. Even Jimmy had jumped up on the desk and held Samantha's paper high into the air to make the poor girl jump for it. The teacher cleared her throat, eyeing her class as the bell rang. The one known only as Demyx was chasing Larxene, trying to get his water bottle back, which apparently had sea monkeys in it for some odd, unexplainable reason.

Ms. Kisaragi rolled her eyes then grabbed her meter stick, placing her lesson plans down on her desk. She then hit the board with it as hard as she could, the sapping sound echoing throughout the room. The whole class instantly fell silent and returned to their seats. Ms. Kisaragi smiled gently, leaning the meter stick against the wall. Oh, how she loved teaching freshman… She walked slowly towards the paper airplane on the floor, picking it up as she spoke. "I would start the lessons as I normally do- Oh, here you go, Jimmy," she said as she placed the paper airplane on Jimmy's desk. "As I was saying, I would start the lessons on a normal day, but because we're so close to each other in this class, I decided to take a little break from teaching and introduce to you a new student."

The sounds of whispering freshman erupted into the previously quiet classroom, causing Ms. Kisaragi to roll her eyes and shake her head. She just could never control this class... Or any other freshman class, for that matter. This year's freshmen were exceptionally childish and quite the sugar addicts. They always seemed to vibrate in their seat with hyper-ness or text away on their cell phone at the speed of light. Not only that, but they all seemed to act like a five year old at some point, whether it was in her class or not. And today, it seemed that the students were betting that the new student would be male while some thought them to be female. They also guessed other things, such as their appearance, sexuality, and personality. A few giggles were heard as one of the two class clowns said that 'he' was probably a girly boy.

"Believe me, he isn't girly. Sure, it's easy to make him blush, but that doesn't mean he's girly," replied a brunet, his blue eyes looking at his classmates. He leaned back in his chair so that the front two legs were no longer on the ground, arms folded behind his head. It almost looked like he already knew the kid. Many started questioning him, but he remained silent, that same silly grin plastered on his face. There was no way that he would tell anybody about this new kid. Finally, he spoke, but it wasn't the answer others wanted. "Just wait. He'll be here soon."

"Class, settle down," the teacher said, her voice rising above all the ruckus. She sighed when the class didn't listen, the whispers turning into shouts across the room. She shook her head and grabbed her meter stick, slamming it sharply against the chalkboard. "I said settle down!" she yelled over the shouts. The class grew quiet once more. No, not just quiet. Silent. Dead silent. And where were the eyes of the students? On the Meter Stick of Doom, of course. Most students were terrified of that thing, especially if it was in Ms. Kisaragi's hands. Said teacher smiled again and turned to the door. "Come on it," she said in a sweet voice, going back to her original self.

A boy around the age of 15 walked in calmly, avoiding the gazes of the class. His dirty blonde hair was swept to the side and up. He wore an unzipped black jacket that could pass off as a T-shirt if zipped up. Underneath that was a long-sleeve shirt with thick black and white stripes. His hands were shoved into the pockets of his baggy blue jeans that almost covered the top of his black Heelys, though there were no heels in them. On his back was a thin, dark grey backpack with a silver X-shaped keychain dangling from the main pocket's zipper.

He stopped when he got to the middle of the front of the class, where Ms. Kisaragi had told him to stand just this morning. His piercing blue eyes scanned the class slowly, not resting on anyone in particular. He saw a few girls giggle when his eyes passed over them, but paid no attention to them. The one person he did pay attention to was the spiky-haired brunette leaning back in his chair. The brunette gave a small salute with that same grin plastered on his face, but the blonde neither wave nor smiled. His eyes just moved across the classroom again, not even listening to the teacher as she introduced him to the class. He found that there were two seats left in the classroom; one right next to the window in the very back that was next to the brunette and the one right in front of the teacher's desk.

He only paid attention to the teacher when she spoke directly to him. He turned his head to look at her, crossing his arms and wishing that he didn't have to stand there any longer. He nodded in response when she talked about the rules of the classroom, though truthfully, he wasn't listening; only pretending. He looked away when she did, staring straight at the brunette.

Ms. Kisaragi hummed in thought as she cupped a hand to her chin and her other arm crossed her thin waist. Her purple eyes scanned the class, but once she found the seat that she thought perfect for the blonde, she turned back to Roxas. She pointed at the seat. "Why do you go sit there, Roxas?" she suggested with a smile.

Roxas looked at the seat and shrugged, nodding afterward. Well, it was better than nothing, at least…

"Please welcome Roxas. He came here from Twilight Town," the teacher continued. She turned to Roxas. "Please choose one of the free seats," she said with a smile.

Roxas didn't reply. He kept quiet and walked to the seat in the far back, the one closest to the window and all the way to the right. He set his backpack next to his chair and propped his head up in his hand, setting his elbow on the desk. He stared out the window at the courtyard where a few benches were. He continued to stare out at the courtyard. Finally the bell rang. Roxas looked up to see a new teacher enter the room. Class droned on, Roxas not even paying attention. Soon, it was lunch. The bell rung and everybody started leaving.

The brunet turned to Roxas and smiled. "Hey, Roxas. I'll show you around later today so you don't get lost," he said with a grin.

Roxas turned to the brunet. "Thanks, Sora," he mumbled. He stood up and grabbed his bag, following the boy to the lockers. He found his locker and read off a piece of paper, turning the lock. It opened and he shoved his stuff inside. He slammed it shut then shoved the piece of paper in his pocket. "Let's go to lunch…" he mumbled. Sora nodded and led Roxas to the lunch room. Once seated, he pointed at a few tables, telling him why he shouldn't sit there. Roxas nodded at all of them. He looked at one table that was empty, except for one person. Somehow, he seemed familiar…


	2. Lunch With Axel

Roxas watched as the boy ate alone. He seemed older than all the rest. A teacher, maybe? That couldn't be. Most teachers didn't have visible tattoos. This man had up-side-down triangles under his eyes. He had spiky red hair. He wore jeans and a red shirt with flames on it. He wondered who this man was and why he was at school. He felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Sora looking at him.

"That's the kid that was held back for four years. I heard he's 22, but that's only a rumor," Sora said.

Roxas turned back to the man. "Why was he held back?" he asked.

"Some say that he skipped school, some say he took vacation, and others said that he failed four times," said an unfamiliar voice.

Roxas turned back around to see someone sitting next to Sora. He had silver hair and cerulean eyes. He wrapped his arms around Sora, which caused the brunet to blush. He gasped when he felt the boy's lip on his neck.

"Riku! Not here!" Sora scolded, his face bright red.

The boy, Riku, pulled away. "Alright, Sora. I'll save it for later," he said with a smile.

Roxas rolled his eyes then looked at the redhead. "Why doesn't anybody go near him?" he asked.

"I heard he just came back about a week ago. Because of the rumors, I can't tell why he's alone," Riku replied, biting into his sandwich afterwards.

Roxas stood up, turning to the others. "I'm going to go talk to him. He's alone, isn't he? And if you say he's practically new, I'm sure he'll know exactly how I feel right now," he said. Without waiting for an answer, he grabbed his tray and made his way to the table. He felt many eyes on him and he sat down across from the redhead. He picked up his sandwich and took a bite out of it.

The redhead looked up, but continued to eat. His eyes widened slightly at the sight of the boy. He looked so familiar…

Roxas looked up at the redhead again. "Is… Is something wrong?" he asked. He looked into the other's emerald eyes. He was lost within them instantly. How could they ever be so green… So beautiful? He was snapped out of his thought when the redhead spoke.

"No, there's nothing wrong. So… you got a name?" the man asked, taking another bite out of his sandwich.

Roxas nodded. "It's Roxas…" he muttered. "What's your's?" Wait… He had planned on being anti-social with everybody during school just this morning… Why was he suddenly talking to this stranger?

"Roxas… Cute name. The name's Axel. Got it memorized?" he said, a smirk on his face. A moment of silence passed between the two. "So… What year are you in, Roxas?" the redhead finally asked.

Roxas looked up from his tray. "I'm in my freshman year," he replied. "You?"

"Sophomore," Axel said. Another moment of silence passed between the two. The bell rang, signaling lunch was over. Roxas stood up, but stopped when Axel spoke. "Do you think you could meet me out in the parking lot after school?" he asked. After a nod from the blonde, he stood up. "Right. I'll be waiting," he said as he walked off.

Roxas froze at the last sentence. It seemed so familiar… Where had he heard it from before?


	3. Lessons

The young blonde watched as the seconds ticked away. For some reason, he was excited to see Axel again. He felt he had met him somewhere, but he couldn't place his finger on it… Who exactly was this guy?

Finally the minute-hand moved. The bell rang. People stood up and ran out the door, Roxas following close behind. Until someone called his name. He stopped and turned around. The teacher stood up and made her way to Roxas.

"Roxas, I have become aware that you have not been paying attention in class this whole day. I know you have just moved in, but please pay more attention to your studies," the teacher began. "I would like you to stay here for about half an hour so I can review everything we have learned today. I don't want you to miss out on anything just because you're new here."

Roxas' heart stopped. Axel wouldn't wait thirty minutes after school just for him, would he? That couldn't possibly be. The teacher took out her cell phone and handed it to Roxas.

"Please inform your parents that you'll be staying with me," she said.

Roxas nodded and opened the phone. He dialed his mom's cell phone number and held it up to his ear. He waited for the rings. Nothing. The answering machine then came on. "Hi, mom. I'm going to stay at school for a little longer so that I get the hang of things. Ok? Bye," he said in one breath. He hung up and closed the phone, handing it back to the teacher. He wished that he could tell Axel the same thing, but the teacher most likely wouldn't let him.

"Please take a seat in the front row so we can review," the teacher said, walking to her desk and picking up a rather large book.

Roxas did as he was told and sat in the front seat. _Great… It's Friday and I have to stay here…_ he thought, rolling his eyes. The teacher didn't notice.

She walked to the board and began to write down a few formulas. "Please write these down in your journal then copy the words I'm about to say. These notes will be important at the end of the year," she said.

Roxas grabbed out the notebook and copied down the formulas. He then copied everything she said as she read from the book.

---

Finally the teacher dismissed him. Roxas stood up and grabbed his bag, running out the door. He ran out of the school and out into the parking lot. He looked around, but saw no one. _Did he leave without me?_ he thought. He looked around for Axel. He didn't know why, but his chest felt heavy. He was hoping to see Axel, but he didn't seem to be there. Then he heard a voice behind him.

"Hey, Roxie."


	4. Our Solemn Hour

Roxas spun around and his face lit up. "I thought you left!" he exclaimed. He ran up to the older boy, smiling up at him.

Axel blushed slightly and looked away. _He's so damn cute!_ he thought. He looked down at the young blonde. "Why would I leave without you? I said I would meet you here, didn't I?" he asked with a smirk.

Roxas nodded. "Right. So… Why did you want to meet me here?" he asked, tilting his head to the side slightly. This question bothered him and he just had to know. Blue eyes stared into emerald ones, pleading for an answer.

Axel smiled and bent down slightly, his body taking over. "I wanted to see you. I wanted to ask you something," he said, a smile on his face. He saw that the young blonde froze, his face red. Axel smiled. "What? What's wrong?" he asked with a slight frown.

The blonde looked towards the ground. "It… Feels weird… I feel like I know you, like this happened before, but I know I never met you before," he said, stumbling on his words.

Axel's smile faded. He placed a hand on Roxas' head. His hair was surprisingly soft, despite how spiky it looked. He smiled. "You know, I've waited for you, Roxas," he said.

Roxas looked up. "You already said that. Now what do you want?" he asked.

Axel took his hand off the young boy's head and stood up strait. "Well, I was wondering if you want to get some pizza with me," he told him. He pulled out some keys. "I have my own car, so I can drive us there," he added with a smile.

Roxas' face lit up again. "Pizza?! I'll come!" he exclaimed. He absolutely loved pizza. Aside from sea-salt ice-cream, it was his favorite food.

Axel smiled at Roxas' reaction. "Ok, then. Let's go to the car, then," he said, walking to a new-looking black car with red and yellow flames painted along the bottom. He unlocked the doors and opened the passenger door. He watched as Roxas climbed in then shut it, walking to the driver's door. When he opened it, he found the blonde in the driver's seat, smiling up at him. He shook his head and tried to frown, but he couldn't help but to smile at the cuteness of the child. "Nuh-uh. You can't drive yet. Scoot over," he said, motioning to the passenger seat.

Roxas frowned. "I wasn't going to drive…" he mumbled as he crawled over to his seat. He plopped down on the seat then buckled up. He looked at Axel. He knew his mother wouldn't approve of him going with a stranger, but somehow he knew it was safe to go with the redhead. Besides, the so-called 'stranger' didn't feel like a stranger to him. He knew he know Axel from somewhere, but he couldn't place his finger on it.

Axel climbed into the driver's seat and closed the door, putting the keys in the ignition. He turned them and the car turned on. He back out of the parking space and drove out of the parking lot and down the street. "So, what kind of pizza do you like?" he asked, trying to start up a conversation.

Roxas thought about this for a minute. "Well, I like cheese pizza, but I like pepperoni better. Sometimes I like the pepperoni and sausage combination, so it depends on what I want that day," he explained, thinking. "I also like the ham and pineapple, but I usually don't eat the ham."

Axel smiled. "I see. I like any kind of pizza, so you choose. I have quite a lot of money, so I can get seconds or thirds, if you like," he said. He pressed a button and the music started to play. "Santus, espiritus, redeem us from our solemn hour. Santus, espiritus, insanity is all around-" the stereo was cut off by Axel turning it off. He turned to Roxas. "Sorry about that… I don't even know if you like that song," he said, smiling nervously.

Roxas frowned. "Turn it back on. It's one of my favorite songs," he complained. He crossed his arms stubbornly, play pouting.

Axel was surprised. He smiled then pressed play. The song continued. Soon the two found themselves in front of a pizza place. Axel turned off the car, which in turn, turned off the music. "Alright, Roxie. Here we are," he said, stepping out of the car.


	5. Kiss

Axel stepped out of the car, turning it off. He walked to the passenger door and opened it, watching as the young blonde stepped out.

Roxas smiled up at Axel. "Is this place good?" he asked.

Axel nodded, closing the door. "Yeah. It's the best place in town. So, when you're hungry, just come here," he told him as he locked the car. He led Roxas into the pizza shop and to a table. "Wait here," he ordered him kindly.

Roxas watched as Axel went up to the front counter and started talking to the man behind it. He looked away when the man looked at him. He began to play with his cell phone, opening and closing it. He checked the time; 3:55. He saw someone place a drink in front of him. He looked up to see Axel right behind him, placing the straw in the drink.

Axel walked to the seat right across from Roxas. He smiled. "I got you some lemonade. I didn't know what you liked, so I hope you like this," he said as he fiddled with the straw in his glass.

Roxas smiled. "I like lemonade just fine," he said before taking a sip. He forgot how sour it was. He looked over the half-wall near them and found many arcade games. His face brightened. He turned back to Axel, a large grin on his face. "Hey Axel," he began.

Axel looked up from his Coke at Roxas. "Wha?" he asked.

"Can we go play some games later?" Roxas finished.

Axel had to turn away from Roxas to keep from blushing. _Damn! He's just way too cute!_ he thought. His eyes wondered back to Roxas. "Well, sure. But what do you mean?" he asked.

Roxas pointed at the arcade games, frowning slightly. "Those games. What other games would I be talking about?" he asked, his smile returning.

Axel looked in the direction Roxas was pointing. He laughed. "Oh! Those games! I thought you meant something complete different," he said.

Roxas gave Axel a confused look. "What? What did you think I meant?" he asked.

Seeing that the blonde didn't know what he was talking about, Axel sighed. He shook his head, smiling. "Nevermind, Roxie. Just forget I said anything," he said. He began playing with his straw. _This has to be him! I can tell it is! He looks exactly like him. He also has the same name, eyes, face, everything!_ he thought, looking at Roxas with his emerald eyes.

"Number 56!" yelled a woman from behind the counter.

Axel stood up. "That's us. You wait here," he said, walking up to the counter. He grabbed the pizza and made his way back to the table. The redhead placed the pan on the table and watched as the young blonde grabbed two pieces instantly, setting them on a red plate.

Roxas began eating it, smiling happily. Axel could only smile at how much the boy could eat.

---

Axel sat on a bench in the park, next to Roxas. He looked over at the boy, who was on his third. He laughed. "How can you eat so much? I only ate one pizza; you ate two," he said with a smile. The boy was just too cute.

Roxas only smiled. "I guess I have a black hole in my stomach," he joked, chuckling. Axel laughed. Roxas finished his ice-cream and threw the stick away. He watched as his re-headed friend leaned against the back of the bench. He was looking at something. Curious as to what Axel was looking at, Roxas looked up at the sky. He smiled at the sight. Above the two lay a vast starry sky, filled with many stars. He stretched. "Can this day get any better?" he asked with a smile.

Axel looked over at Roxas and shrugged. "Well, it can, but I don't know if it'll be better for you," he said with a smile.

Roxas gave Axel a questioning look. "Hmm? How can it be better for you, but not me?" he asked.

Axel stood up, looking at the sky. "Well…" he began. He closed his eyes and shook his head. "Nevermind," he said, opening them again. He looked down at the blonde. "You ready to go home?" he asked.

Roxas stood up and faced Axel. "Not until you tell me how to make this night better," he said. He had a stubborn look on his face.

Axel sighed. "Very well, then," he said. He turned and grabbed Roxas' shoulders. He leaned forward and lightly pressed his lips against Roxas'. _They're soft… Just like I imagined…_ he thought.

Roxas' eyes widened as Axel kissed him. He froze in place. He felt his knees become very weak. One moment he was looking at Axel's face, the next, nothing.


	6. Memories

Blue eyes opened, staring at a grey ceiling. Roxas sat up and shook his head. He looked down at the covers, noticing they were black with flames on them, like Axel's car. _Where am I?_ he questioned in his head. He looked around, noting that the walls also had flames painted on them. His eyes laid on a familiar redheaded man sitting by the bed on a chair, his head propped up by his hand. He was fast asleep. "I'm in… Axel's room…" he whispered. Apparently, this awoke the sleeping redhead.

"Awake already?" asked a sleepy voice as Axel looked up at Roxas.

Roxas nodded. "Yeah… Why am I here?" he asked, looking around once more.

A yawn escaped the older one's mouth. "You passed out last night. I brought you here because I didn't know where you lived," he said. He stood up and stretched, his back popping. He looked down at the young blonde. "I had to get you into different clothes as well. I don't think you would be comfortable sleeping in your regular clothes," he said.

Roxas looked down at the PJs. They were grey and way too long for him. He looked back up at Axel. "Why did I pass out, anyway?" he asked.

Axel shrugged. "How should I know?" he asked. "I had to drive you here from the park."

Roxas looked at Axel. He then remembered everything from last night. The stars… The park… The ice-cream… The kiss… This last thought made his cheeks flushed as he looked down at the covers. _That's right… He… kissed me…_ he thought, touching his lips lightly.

Axel's heart sank when he saw the blonde touch his lips. _Maybe… He didn't like it?_ He thought. "Sorry… about that. I just couldn't help myself… I didn't mean to offend you or-" he was cut off when the blonde looked at him, smiling. He was _smiling_.

Roxas shook his head. "It's ok. It feels like it's happened before, but I can't remember," he said. He looked away, his smile fading slightly. "Although that was my first kiss… And I _thought_ I was strait. Looks like that proved me wrong," he said, mostly to himself.

Axel rubbed the back of his head. "Oh… You're first ki-" he cut himself off. Surprise took over. "Wait… What?! That was your first kiss? Oh man! I'm so sorry!" he said, practically yelling. He didn't mean to steal Roxas' first kiss.

Roxas shook his head again. "No, it's ok. What's the big deal about a single kiss?" he asked, shrugging his shoulders. It felt right when Axel kissed him, but why did it feel so right, kissing a stranger? Or maybe… He wasn't a stranger. Maybe they had met before. He gripped his head as a pain struck through it.

_"Roxie, look what I got for you!" a voice said from behind._

_The blonde turned around and looked at a redhead, smiling. "Hey, Axel. What did you get me this time?" he asked._

_Axel brought his hands out in front of him. In his hands was a small kitten. "Tada! Isn't she cute?" he asked. He had a bright smile on his face. He wore a black cloak, boots, pants, and gloves. "I bought her today just for you!" he exclaimed, holding out the cat to Roxas._

_Roxas took the cat in his gloved hands, his eyes widened in both joy and surprise. "Axel, you shouldn't have!" he said, holding the cat close. He looked up at Axel. "You didn't steal her, did you?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. His smile faded to a small one._

_Axel seemed surprised. "What?! Of course not! Do you know how much munny that thing cost? I saved up my munny just to buy that for you!" he said, holding out his arms._

_Roxas' smile returned, larger than before. "Thanks, Axel. I just don't know what to say," he said. He looked down at the cat._

_"Then don't say anything," Axel replied, leaning forward._

_Roxas' gaze returned to the pyro. "What do you-" he was cut off as Axel pressed his lips against the young blonde's. He closed his eyes and leaned into the kiss. The kiss broke when a small meow was heard. He looked down at the kitten and smiled. "I don't think she likes us being together," he said, placing the cat on the floor softly._

_Axel only smirked and walked up to Roxas. "She'll have to get used to it," he said. He pressed his lips against Roxas' again, slowly walking towards the bed._

_Roxas wrapped his arms around Axel's neck and closed his eyes, letting the kiss linger. He fell back onto the bed, which surprised him. He had not even known he was backing up. They broke the kiss then Axel went in for another one. Roxas pressed his finger against Axel's lips. "Not now, Axel," he said with a smile._

Roxas' head stopped hurting and he just noticed that Axel was leaning over him, holding his shoulders.

"Are you alright?" he asked with worried eyes.

Roxas nodded. "Yeah… I'm fine…" he said. He still held his head just in case the pain came back.

Axel looked Roxas over. "What happened?" he asked.

Roxas shook his head. "I don't know. My head started hurting and then I had this weird… dream like thing. It seemed so real, but it never happened," he said. It felt so real, he could remember the feeling of everything; the air, the kitten, the bed beneath him, Axel.

Axel sighed then sat back. "At least you're ok… The same thing happens to me, but they're almost gone now," he said, waving his hand in the air lazily.

Roxas looked at Axel. "What do you mean? You had things like that, too?" he asked.

Axel returned Roxas' gaze. "Well, yeah. I might want to tell you about it, huh?"

Roxas nodded.


	7. The Truth

The redhead sighed. "Well, there's not much to say…" he told the young blonde.

"Just try," Roxas said. He wanted to know why Axel knew him so well. Why he knew that sea-salt ice-cream was his favorite food and why pizza was his second favorite.

Axel sighed once more. "Alright, but I don't know where to start," he admitted.

"Just start wherever you feel comfortable."

"I don't feel comfortable about it. That's the problem. My parents thought it was an illness this whole time."

Roxas gave Axel a confused look. "Illness? Why did they think that?" he questioned.

Axel let his eyes wander to the carpet. "Well… The dreams used to come more frequently. I kept telling them that I had to wait for Roxas. I kept telling them about these dreams," he explained.

"Wait a minute… Who's they?"

"My parents. They became worried when I became weak and depressed. It was because of my dreams. They came every night and you, Roxas, were in them. Every single one of them. My heart became more and more heavy after each passing day. Finally, my parents sent me to the hospital. There, they tried to cure my 'illness' but I knew it wasn't an illness. I knew, deep down, that it was something more."

"Well… What was it?"

Axel looked up at Roxas, staring him in the eyes. "I was missing you, Roxas. I felt like I would never see you again. I thought I would be alone the rest of my life, searching for you," he said.

Roxas remained silent for a moment. He looked at the bed. "I'm… sorry…" he said, barely audible.

Axel looked surprised. He sat down on the bed and wrapped his arms around the boy, pulling him close. "You're not the one who has to say sorry, Roxas… If anyone, it should be me…" he whispered into the young blonde's ear.

"Axel…" Roxas said. He closed his eyes. It felt so right, to be hugged by Axel. Suddenly a small movie played in his head.

_"Roxas, I need to tell you something," said a familiar voice._

_Roxas slowly placed the book down in his lap, closing it. "Need to know what?" he asked. He watched as Axel shifted nervously. "What are you so nervous about? We're Nobodies. We aren't supposed to feel," he told the redhead._

_Axel took in a deep breath. "I know, but somehow I do feel something, Roxas. Maybe… We get our hearts back by…" he said, letting his voice trail off._

_Roxas raised an eyebrow. He was now interested in why Axel was so nervous. "Get our hearts back by what? What are you talking about?" he questioned, a slight annoyance in his voice._

_Axel took in a deep breath again. "Roxas… Maybe we get our hearts back not by Kingdom Hearts, but by something else. Something more powerful," he said. He began to shift nervously again. Luckily there was nobody in the library at that time._

_"Axel, you're no making any sense," Roxas said with a sigh._

_"You know how most of the nobodies here remember their feelings, right?" Axel asked the young blonde._

_"Yes. What are you getting at?" Roxas asked, raising an eyebrow again._

_Axel's eyes darted this way and that then finally settled on Roxas. "Well…" he began. He shook his head and turned away, opening a corridor of darkness. "Nevermind," he said._

_Roxas stood up and grabbed Axel's arm. "Axel, please don't go," he said. "I want to know."_

_Axel turned towards the young blonde and placed his hands on the small shoulders. He took in a deep breath and looked Roxas in the eye. "Roxas… I wanted to tell you that… I…" he began. He continued when he saw Roxas' hand motion, telling him to go on. "I want to tell you that I think I have fallen for you," he said in one breath. He sighed in relief then turned around, facing the corridor of darkness. "There. I said it. Not that it's gonna change anything."_

_Roxas walked forward and leaned on the pyro, smiling softly. He closed his eyes. "Axel, do you know how long I waited for you to say that?" he asked softly. Without waiting for an answer, he continued. "A long time, Axel… We may be Nobodies, but maybe… Just maybe… We don't need hearts to love someone."_

"Roxas! Roxas!" yelled a voice, snapping the boy from his thoughts. Roxas' vision cleared and he saw Axel's face right in front of him. His face turned as red as Axel's hair.

Axel sighed in relief. He had not noticed the boy had grown so red, for his eyes were closed. When he opened them again, he blinked. "Roxas? What's wrong? Do you have a fever?" he asked. He grabbed the boy's head in his hands and leaned forward.

Roxas watched as Axel leaned closer. He turned even more red, remembering what had happened last night. He closed his eyes and waited. He felt something on his forehead and opened his eyes again to see Axel staring into his eyes.

"Hmm… You don't seem to have a fever. Your cheeks are just red," Axel said as he sat back. He crossed his legs in front of him.

"Hey, Axel?" the blonde asked shyly.

Axel smiled. "Yeah? What is it?" he asked.

"How long were in you in the hospital for?"

"About four years. Why?"

Roxas shrugged. "I don't know. I just wanted to know," he said.

Axel smirked. "How about we go downtown today? We could hit all the spots we couldn't yesterday. It'd be fun," he suggested. "What do you say?"

Roxas nodded. "Y-yeah… Sounds fun," he said, a smile spreading across his lips.


	8. Sanctuary

Axel smiled at the young blonde, ruffling his hair. "Alright, Roxy. I suggest you change before we head out," he said.

Roxas nodded. "Right," he replied. He slid out of Axel's bed. "But I have no clothes," he told the redhead.

Axel walked to his closet. "Sure you do. You can borrow some of my old clothes. I'm sure they'll fit you," he said as he opened the closet and began rummaging through it. He pulled out a pair of faded jeans and a black T-shirt, throwing them at Roxas.

Roxas caught the clothes. He examined them then looked up at Axel, who was heading to the door with some clothes for himself. "Are you sure I can wear these?" he asked.

Axel nodded and smiled. "Sure. I don't mind. Meet me in the living once you're done. Got it memorized?" he said before walking out and closing the door behind him.

---

Roxas stepped out of the room and walked down the stairs, turning around about halfway to go down another flight of stairs. He found himself next to the kitchen and in the living room. _This must be an apartment,_ he thought as he surveyed the room. His blue eyes laid upon the redheaded Axel, who was sitting on the couch. He didn't seem to notice that Roxas had entered the room. "I'm ready," he spoke out.

Axel turned to Roxas and smiled, pushing himself off the couch. "Ok. Let's get going then," he said, motioning for Roxas to follow. He walked towards the door and turned his head to see if the blonde followed. He was right behind him.

"Aren't you going to open the door?" Roxas asked. He crossed his arms. "We can't get out any other way, unless you want to try the window."

Axel laughed. "Alright. In a hurry, huh?" he asked with a smile as he opened the door. He led the blonde to the car and sat in the driver's seat. He waited for Roxas to climb in. Once Roxas closed the door, Axel started the car and drove downtown, the whole time the two talking about random things.

---

Roxas stepped out of the car, looking at the area. They were near a beach, but few people were there. He walked out onto the beach and looked back at Axel. "There's nobody here," he stated.

Axel stood behind Roxas. He stepped forward, now next to the boy. A smile was on his face as he looked out across the waves. "Well, this is my secret place. Nobody takes that old road I took, so nobody's here at this beach," he told the blonde. He looked down at the other. "But it's not so secret when you know about it."

Roxas smiled. "We can keep it secret. It'll be our secret place," he replied.

Axel looked out across the waves, chuckling. "Our secret place, huh? I like the sound of that," he said.

Roxas let his gaze wonder to the horizon. The sea seemed to go on forever. "Yeah. This is our sanctuary. Here, we can meet each other at any time, no matter what. We can go here for anything," he said.

Axel chuckled once more. He looked down at the blonde, ruffling his hair. "Wow, Roxas. I'm impressed. I never thought I'd hear that from _you_," he said with a smile.

Roxas jumped back. He turned to Axel, looking up at him. "Hey! What's that supposed to mean?!" he practically yelled.

Axel laughed then his eyes returned to the horizon. He shrugged. "Just never thought I would hear that from a 14-year-old," he said.

"15. I'm 15," Roxas corrected.

Axel chuckled then looked sideways at Roxas. "Right. 15. Well, how about you say we hit those spots now?" he asked.

Roxas nodded. It sounded like a great idea. He just wanted to stay by Axel.


	9. Flip of a Coin

It has been about a week since Roxas had met Axel. Even though he barely knew him, he couldn't help but to smile even at the sound of his name. He knew that Axel and he had met before, but he just couldn't remember. Everything felt so right when he was around Axel. Even his mother noted that he was happier than before.

Roxas grabbed his bag, his toast still in his mouth. Today Axel was going to take him to the movies and he was excited. He had always wanted to go alone somewhere with Axel and this was the chance. He also knew that Axel was taking him to dinner. He ran towards the door. "Bye, Mom!" he called out as he opened the door. He ran out the door, closing it (more like slamming it) behind him. He ran down the street. He stopped at a crosswalk, waiting for the sign to tell him to cross.

A ball bounced into the middle of the street, followed by a little boy. "Come back!" yelled the little boy, chasing his ball.

Roxas dropped his toast and ran out after the boy, noticing that a car was heading his way. "Watch out!" he yelled as he pushed the boy out of the way, putting himself in danger. He felt a pain in his side as he tumbled to the ground. He stopped rolling, stopping on his stomach. All traffic stopped as a crowd surrounded the young blonde. He watched them with his blue eyes, his vision becoming blurry.

_Axel… I'm sorry…_

***

Axel waited outside the school, waiting for the blonde. He didn't know that he wouldn't come at all today. The bell rang. "I wonder where he could be…" he said with a sigh as he headed towards the school door. He looked back; just to make sure the blonde wasn't late. Nothing. He sighed once more and walked inside the building, his hands in his pockets. _I'll see him at lunch,_ he though with a smile.

---

Axel sat at the usual table, eating his sandwich. Ever since Roxas had sat next to Axel, people had gathered, including Sora. He looked across the table at Roxas' spot. Empty. He put his sandwich down when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned to see Sora and Riku behind him.

"We wanted to tell you that Roxas left for his grandmother's house last night. He'll be staying there for a few weeks," Sora lied. He fought back tears and it worked. No tears were in his eyes.

Axel eyed Sora. "How do you know?" he asked.

Sora shrugged. "I'm his cousin. He tells me everything," he said.

Axel looked back down at his sandwich. "Why did he tell me? We were supposed to go into town today," he said with a sigh.

Sora glanced at Riku nervously.

"Roxas had his phone taken away for not helping his parents with something. He just found out last night," Riku said.

Axel looked up at Riku. "Oh. Well, I'll forgive him once he comes back," he said with a smile.

Sora nervously glanced at Riku then looked at Axel. "We have to go. We have something planned with our group," he said. He turned around and waved. "We'll see you later, Axel," he said.

Axel was confused. Did he just see tears in Sora's eyes? Nah, it couldn't be. Maybe Sora was just missing his cousin. He shrugged and continued eating. He didn't know that Roxas was in a hospital this very moment.


	10. Gone

Sora sat on a chair, looking at the blonde lying so still on the bed. It has been a week and a half since the accident and Roxas still didn't wake up. The doctors had told Riku and Sora that he had fallen in a coma. His wounds were healing quite well, he just didn't wake up. The doctors had also told them that Roxas didn't have any broken bones, which was surprising. He _had_ been hit by a car, after all. Sora sighed then looked at the door as someone walked in.

"It's just me," Riku said. He pulled up a stool, sitting next to Sora. "He seems to be having a good dream, huh?" he asked, trying to lighten the mood.

Sora nodded. He was quiet for the past few days. He rarely even talked anymore. One was considered lucky if they were able to make him even say 'hi' or any other one-syllable word. He continued to stare at the sleeping face of Roxas. He wanted desperately for him to wake up.

Riku's smile faded as he saw Sora. He hated it with the brunet was this way. He turned to Roxas once more. The two remained quiet until a nurse stepped into the room.

"Boys, it's about time for school to start again," the nurse told them.

Riku stood up. "Right. We'll be on our way now," he told her. He placed a hand on Sora's shoulder, leaning forward to whisper into Sora's ear. "He'll be fine… Now let's go to class, Sora," he whispered.

Sora nodded and stood up. He stared at his cousin for a few more moments before following Riku out of the room. Soon the two were at school again. They walked across the courtyard and into the school, going to their designated classes.

---

The bell rung, signaling that school was over for good. It has been about three months since Roxas had slipped into a coma. Sora stood up and looked at Roxas' empty seat as the other stormed out of the classroom. He sighed then walked out.

"Hey, Sora…" whispered a voice from behind.

Sora looked behind him to see Riku, who was smiling softly. He looked at the ground. "Hey, Riku…" he murmured. Riku was the only one he really talked to.

Riku frowned and pushed himself off the wall. He wrapped his arms around Sora, kissing his head. "Sora, it's going to be okay… Roxas is going to wake up… I promise…" he said softly, closing his eyes. He held the younger boy in his arms.

Sora nodded. "I know, but I can't help it…" he whispered.

"You mean… Roxas isn't at his grandmother's place?" asked a voice.

The two boys turned to see Axel standing there. He seemed angry.

"What happened to Roxas? I want to know," Axel said, his voice demanding and his eyes telling them that he was serious.

Sora shifted slightly then looked at the ground, holding onto Riku's arms.

Riku sighed. "We might as well tell you the truth… Roxas is in the hospital," he said. He couldn't even finish what he was going to say, for Axel darted out the door.

Axel burst through the hospital doors and walked up to the counter. "Which room is Roxas in?" he asked the nurse.

The nurse pointed to a hallway to her right, not looking up. "All the way down that hallway, to the left," she said. She put down her hand and rummaged through her files once more.

"Thanks," Axel said as he darted towards the door. He opened it and walked inside. He looked at Roxas in the hospital bed. It looked like all the wounds were gone. He sat down in the stool and looked at the 'sleeping' Roxas. He touched his cheek softly. "Roxas…" he whispered.

"They're afraid he'll never wake up…" said a voice from behind.

Axel turned around to see Riku and Sora standing behind him. Riku had his arms around Sora, who was burying his head into the older one's chest. "What?" he asked. He turned back to Roxas, stroking his cheek. "But… He has to… He can't just leave me like this…" he said, his voice weak. "We… promised…"

Riku continued. "I'm sorry, Axel. They're going to stop the treatment today. He's been asleep far too long and we can't pay for it anymore… Roxas is… Gone," he said. His voice lowered when he said 'gone'.


	11. Awakening

Axel stood up suddenly, knocking his chair back. "What?! They can't do that!" he protested. Tears were in his eyes. "We promised each other! We promised we would stay together!"

Riku looked at the ground. "I'm sorry, Axel… We just can't support him anymore…" he whispered. He didn't want to look Axel in the eye.

"Why didn't you tell me? I would give everything just for him! He can't just die and leave me here!" Axel yelled, his voice filled with more sorrow than anger. A tear rolled down his cheek and he bit his bottom lip. He turned around, his heart feeling heavy. He placed both hands on Roxas' bed, staring at the gentle face. "Roxas…" he whispered.

The nurse entered the room and walked to the machine. She was about to flip the switch off when Axel spoke.

"Please… Don't… Not yet…" Axel whispered.

The nurse turned to Axel. "I'm sorry, but it must be done," she said.

"Can I… Hold him one last time…? Before he's dead?" Axel asked, his voice barely a whisper.

The nurse nodded. "Sure. Go ahead. He won't wake up," she said.

Axel looked down at Roxas. He grabbed the boy softly and lifted him up. He wrapped his arms around him and closed his eyes, a tear rolling down his cheek. He didn't want it Roxas to die. He wanted to stay with him forever.

"Ax…el…" said a weak voice.

Axel opened his eyes and pulled away from the boy. He stared into brilliant blue eyes. "Roxas…" he whispered, his eyes wide. He pulled the boy into a hug. "Roxas!" he repeated.

Roxas wrapped his arms around Axel, resting his head on the older one's shoulder. He closed his eyes. "I waited for you, Axel… I waited…" he whispered. "I told you I would wait." Axel pulled away. He let go of Roxas, who sat there. The boy opened his eyes.

"You… remember?" Axel asked, his voice shaky.

Roxas nodded, smiling. "Yeah… I remember everything…" he whispered. He leaned closer to Axel, wrapping his arms around him. "Axel… I love you…" he whispered into the redhead's ear. "With all my heart…"


	12. Forever By My Side

A young blonde stood in front of the movie theater, waiting for his lover to arrive. They were supposed to be there an hour ago. He sighed as he looked around. The movie had already started. He knew that much. The young blonde was soaking wet, the pouring rain drenching everything. Finally , a black car with flames drove up.

A red-haired man ran out, carrying an umbrella. He ran over to the blonde and held the umbrella over him.

"You're late, Axel," stated the blonde.

Axel laughed nervously. "Sorry… My cousin wouldn't let me leave," he said, ruffling the blonde's hair.

The blonde pushed away the hand and laughed. "Just because your hair goes everywhere doesn't mean that you have to make mine," he said.

Axel laughed. "Come on, Roxy! Your's is already a mess," he said with a smile.

Roxas frowned. "Yeah. Thanks," he said. He began laughing. He felt something wrap around his hand and he looked down. It was Axel's hand. He smiled up at him. "So what do we do now?" he asked.

Axel thought for a moment then led the boy to the car. He opened the passenger door and watched as Roxas climbed in. He closed it then went to the driver's side. He got in and folded the umbrella, setting it down on the floor near the back seats. He turned to Roxas. "Well, we could sit here and dry off," he said with a smile.

Roxas laughed. "But that's boring. Let's go somewhere," he replied.

Axel pressed his lips against Roxas' then pulled away. "Alright, alright," he said as he settled back into his seat. He buckled and waited for Roxas to buckle. Once he did, Axel started the car. He drove down the street.

"Where are we going?" the blonde asked.

"That's for me to know and for you to figure out," Axel replied. A smirk was on his face. He turned off the car in front of a house. "Here we are," he said. He tossed Roxas the umbrella. "There. So you don't get wetter than what you already are," he told the boy.

Roxas laughed. "Like I can even get soaked even more," he said. He stepped out of the car and opened the umbrella.

Axel ran up the steps onto the covered porch and Roxas followed. He opened the door and led the blonde inside. Inside was beautiful. It was made entirely of wood, save for the furniture and lights. Axel walked into the kitchen and grabbed out two sodas. He set one on the counter. He motioned for Roxas to go into the kitchen.

Roxas put the umbrella down and walked into the kitchen after taking off his socks and shoes, setting them next to the door. He looked up at Axel. "What?" he asked.

"That one's your's," he replied, pointing at the soda. He opened his own and began to chug it.

Roxas smiled and opened the soda. "First, I would like to dry off," he said.

Axel laughed. "Right, right," he said as he walked into the hallway. He came back with a towel, unfolding it. Before Roxas could grab it, he set it on Roxas' head and began to dry his hair.

"I can do that myself," Roxas muttered. He put his hands on Axel's.

Axel swatted away the hands and continued to dry Roxas' hair. "But it's funner this way," he said with a smile. Once he was done, he walked to a door and opened it. He pulled out a familiar outfit, the one that Roxas had borrowed from before. He threw it at the blonde. "Here you go. You can wear this until your clothes dry," he said.

Roxas nodded and walked into the bathroom. He changed then walked back out. "They still fit," he said with a smile.

Axel laughed. "Of course they do! It was only… four months?" he said, trying to remember.

Roxas crossed his arms. "Well, I woke up about a month ago, so yes, four months," he said.

Axel smiled and pressed his lips against Roxas'.

Roxas closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around Axel's neck, deepening the kiss. He fell backwards onto the couch. He hadn't even noticed that he was backing up! Still, he did not break the kiss. Until he couldn't breathe, at least. He pulled away for a moment.

Axel went in for another kiss, this one a little more forceful. His hands slid under the boy's shirt, but they were swatted away. He broke the kiss. "What?" he asked.

"It tickles," Roxas replied.

Axel laughed. "Sorry," he said. He leaned in for another kiss, but was stopped by a finger.

"Not now, Axel," Roxas said with a smile.

Axel smiled. "We'll save it for later then," he said, pushing himself off of Roxas. He sat down on the couch, moving Roxas' head so that his legs were being used as a pillow.

Roxas looked up at Axel. "Do you think we'll be together forever?" he asked, playing with Axel's fingers.

Axel smiled down at the blonde. "Of course. I'll never leave your side," he said. "And I'll wait for you in the next life. I will always wait for you, as long as you wait for me."

Roxas smiled. "I promise I'll wait for you, no matter how long it takes," he told the redhead.


End file.
